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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28602411">It's A Date</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperdream/pseuds/paperdream'>paperdream</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tumblr Prompt Fills [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Magnus Archives (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, Awkwardness, M/M, Prompt Fill, peter dresses like popeye the sailor change my mind, researcher jon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:41:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>797</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28602411</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperdream/pseuds/paperdream</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Researcher Jon is annoyed at the man who has not only interrupted his work, but clearly doesn't respect the Institute as an academic institution.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Peter Lukas/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tumblr Prompt Fills [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2107944</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>It's A Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>written for an anon prompt on tumblr</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Excuse me, do you work here?”</p><p>Jon started a bit at the unexpected, unfamiliar voice, and glared up at its owner, a large man who seemed for some reason to be dressed like a cartoon sea captain. Hardly the first to assess the Institute’s reputation with the general public and decide a Halloween costume was appropriate attire. They never had anything relevant, or even particularly interesting, to contribute, just the same prank statements that passed through Research by the bushel. He gestured to his cubicle and the books and papers strewn around it. “Take a guess.”</p><p>The man smiled genially, either not noticing or deliberately ignoring Jon’s caustic air. “Oh, good. Do you think you could direct me toward Elias Bouchard’s office? I seem to have gotten a bit lost.”</p><p>This was what he got for being so close to the research department’s entrance. He stood so he could gesture over the walls of the cubicle. “Rosie should be able to help you, she’s right over-”</p><p>Rosie’s desk in the foyer was visible from Research when the door was open, and she was <em>always</em><span> there. He didn’t know how this man could have missed her. Except Rosie’s desk was uncharacteristically empty. </span></p><p>The man peered in the direction of Jon’s gaze, hands clasped behind his back. “Seems she’s out.”</p><p>
  <span> Jon glanced over at Sasha’s desk, across the aisle from his own. She was much better with people, hopefully he could foist their annoying visitor </span>
  <span>onto</span>
  <span> her. But Sasha’s desk was empty as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just his luck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “</span>
  <span>It’s just back the way you came and up the stairs. You can’t miss it. </span>
  <span>I</span>
  <span>f you’d gone to Rosie to begin with you wouldn’t have ended up back </span>
  <em>here</em>
  <span> in the first place,” Jon snapped, dropping back into his chair </span>
  <span>and turning back to his work as obviously as he could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “</span>
  <span>Are you sure? I’d really prefer it if you could show me the way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Jon clenched his teeth, shoulders rising as he slammed the book he’d just picked up back to his deck and whirled around. “Look. I am very busy and the route to Elias’ office is </span>
  <em>very simple</em>
  <span>. I’m sure even an idiot who thought </span>
  <em>that</em>
  <span> was appropriate attire for a visit to an </span>
  <em>academic institution</em>
  <span> can manage it alone. </span>
  <span>Though I can’t imagine what business he’d have with the likes of you.</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could feel the man’s eyes on the back of his neck. “</span>
  <span>Are you busy this evening?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span> He turned, glaring </span>
  <span>and a bit bewildered </span>
  <span>at the non sequitur. Before he could respond, Elias seemed to appear from thin air directly behind the man, </span>
  <span>putting a friendly hand on his shoulder</span>
  <span>. “Ah, Peter, there you are. You don’t usually bother to acquaint yourself with the Institute’s general staff, how </span>
  <em>did</em>
  <span> you end up down here?” His eyes flicked to Jon, who had managed to smooth some but not all of the annoyance from his expression at the appearance of his boss. “</span>
  <span>Ah! </span>
  <span>This is Jonathan Sims, he’s one of our most promising researchers. Jon, this is Peter Lukas. His family is one of the Institute’s most important donors.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon felt as though all the blood rushed out of him, leaving his skin and his vision tinged gray. “Oh.” </span>
  <em>One of the Institute’s most important donors</em>
  <span> and he’d… </span>
</p><p>
  <span> Peter continued to smile brightly at him, though Jon thought that now he could detect </span>
  <span>a hungry</span>
  <span> edge in the other man’s eyes. “Just a moment, Elias, I’d like to finish my conversation with… </span>
  <em>Jon</em>
  <span>, here.” He leaned in </span>
  <span>conspiratorially</span>
  <span>, though Elias was still clearly present and capable of hearing everything he said. “So, tonight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “I- er- I-” What was he supposed to say? </span>
  <span>Was he more likely to be fired</span>
  <span> if he accepted or declined? </span>
</p><p>
  <span> “</span>
  <span>It’s a date</span>
  <span>!” Peter beamed as though Jon had answered. </span>
  <span>Jon couldn’t help but interpret it as a bit smug, perfectly aware of the way he’d trapped Jon between his boss and his own lack of social graces</span>
  <span>. “My meeting with Elias should finish right about the time you get off work. I’ll see you then.” He clapped Jon on the shoulder, and his palm seemed to leave behind a cold patch, as though he had no body heat at all. </span>
  <span>He strode off with Elias, leaving Jon gaping after them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, he came to his senses and turned to Sasha’s desk, hoping she had returned and would help him process what had just happen. Still empty. He peered over the wall of his cube into Tim’s next door, but found it unoccupied as well. Odd.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> He found himself staring at the ceiling, shivering a bit as the air conditioning seemed to turn on with a vengeance despite it being early fall, and wondering what he was supposed to on his… date.</span>
</p>
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